Boxing

Subterms

    More stories

    • 175 Shares179 Views

      in Boxing

      Richard Riakporhe ‘almost died’ before fighting back to star with eyes on world title

      by

      CRUISERWEIGHT Richard Riakporhe still bears the scars from the night he almost died when he was stabbed in the chest.The 31-year-old takes on Olanrewaju Durodola this weekend and has his eyes on a bout with world champ Lawrence Okolie.
      Riakporhe is unbeaten in his 12 professional fights with six knockouts to his nameCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      The 31-year-old had Lawrence Okolie in his sightsCredit: Richard Pelham
      However, 16 years ago, when Riakporhe was a schoolboy he was stabbed at a party in Old Kent Road in South East London, and nearly died.
      Riakporhe told SunSport in 2018: “I got involved in this street culture from around the age of 12, for about ten years.
      “This led me to find pain, havoc, endless want, and paranoia.
      “I began to get in trouble with the police then eventually ended up in prison.
      “In addition, I suffered a traumatic near-death experience when I was stabbed in the chest at the age of 15.
      “I was at a party and a guy came out claiming that he lost his phone.

      “He then started to demand me and my friend give him our phones and started to stab us all if we responded in a hesitant manner.
      “He progressively stabbed three of us – with my injuries unfortunately being the worst.
      “The stabbing was extremely life-changing for me and my family.
      “I couldn’t do what normal teenager do for instance go out to parties for a while in case this incident repeated itself.
      “I couldn’t participate in activities like playing football or play fighting or I would feel faint it was so traumatic as I think back.
      “But because I was so young and lacked understanding of the severity of this situation, I thought of as a life experience not knowing how close to death I was.”
      The teenager needed emergency surgery due to internal bleeding and was left hospitalised for five days.

      Due to blood around the lungs, he could barely breathe.
      Riakporhe does not know what happened to the stabber – and the aftermath is still a fog of confusion.
      He added: “Despite being stabbed, the lure of the streets still pulled me in.
      “And when the streets pull you in, it’s hard to resist. As a result, I kept getting in trouble.”
      After experiencing such trauma at an age where most teenagers are thinking about their GCSEs, Riakporhe went in search of self-discipline and respect – this led him to the Lynn Amateur Boxing Club in Camberwell.
      Riakporhe said: “I was always competitive and was vacillating whether to get involved with football or boxing.
      The unbeaten prospect has eight KOs in his 11 victories so farCredit: r_riakporhe
      [/caption]
      “But then decided to take the boxing route, as I always thought I was built to fight.
      “I wanted to get into a sport that demanded respect from the public so boxing was perfect.”Riakporhe claims, like many with a similar story to his, that boxing changed his life.
      However, it is not the Haringey Box Cup gold medal nor his undefeated professional record that the Londoner ranks as his biggest life achievement.
      In 2012 Riakporhe enrolled into Kingston University and graduated with a BSc in Marketing and Communications, something he did not believe was possible.
      Riakporhe graduated Kingston university in 2015 having enrolled in a Bachelors of Sciences degreeCredit: r_riakporhe
      The boxer posing with school children – he often gives speeches talking about his storyCredit: r_riakporhe
      He said: “I went to uni after receiving advice from friends and family and thought it would be great to have something to fall back on in case sport didn’t work out.
      “It was extremely important to me because I never thought I ever would’ve attended uni so it was like breaking through a mental barrier.
      “That was my greatest life achievement up to date.”
      The 6ft 5ins cruiserweight has shared the ring with the likes of Chris Eubank Jr and  Okolie while also spending time training with good friend and ‘mentor’ Dillian Whyte and his trainer Mark Tibbs.
      He has also sparred with the unified world heavyweight Anthony Joshua who he first met way back in 2011.
      Their first spar took place during Joshua’s preparation for the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Baku, and Riakporhe revealed he knew AJ was destined to be a world champion.
      Riakporhe said: “He’s a hard puncher and with great speed in the upper body. It was an amazing experience.
      “I knew he would be because even after finishing camp up Sheffield he would still do extra training on the weekend. Even then he was committed to mastery.” More

    • 238 Shares139 Views

      in Boxing

      Terence Crawford vs Shawn Porter: UK start time, TV channel, live stream and undercard for huge welterweight title fight

      by

      TERENCE CRAWFORD defends his WBO welterweight crown in a potentially career-defining clash against Shawn Porter.Fighting for the first time in over a year, Bud puts his unbeaten 37-0 record on the line in Sin City against former WBC champion Showtime.

      FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS

      Crawford returns for the first time since beating Kell Brook in November 2020Credit: Getty
      Crawford is regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet, but has struggled to lure the very best welterweights into the ring since stepping up from 140lbs.
      Porter represents that challenge and it promises to be a hugely exciting showdown in Las Vegas, with titles and reputations on the line.
      When is Crawford vs Porter?

      This blockbuster world title clash will be held on Saturday, November 20.
      It will take place in the early hours of Sunday morning here in the UK.
      Expect the main event around 8pm Vegas time, which is 4am on this side of the Atlantic.

      Porter is confident he can spring a surprise and take the WBO beltCredit: AP:Associated Press
      Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
      In a big boost for fight fans, this showdown is NOT a pay-per-view event in the UK.
      The full evening’s entertainment – including the main card – will be shown on Sky Sports Arena and Main Event.
      Coverage will start at 2am GMT.
      To stream, download the Sky Go app if you’re a Sky customer and watch on a number of devices.
      While non-subscriber can get a NOW TV pass from £9.99, with the fight then available on your mobile, tablet, PC, games console or smart TV.

      Who is fighting on the undercard?

      Terence Crawford vs Shawn Porter (WBO welterweight title)
      Esquiva Falcao vs Patrice Volny (middleweight)
      Janibek Alimkhanuly vs Hassan N’Dam (middleweight)
      Raymond Muratalla vs Steven Ortiz (lightweight)

      What they said
      Terence Crawford: “I want to be the best fighter in the world. Simple. I feel like I’m already there, but I have to prove it to the world and it starts with Porter.
      “I wasn’t looking to fight Shawn Porter when I stepped up into the welterweight division.
      “But being that he’s one of the top welterweights in the world, here we are and I’m looking forward to it.”

      Shawn Porter: “He’ll have his mind where it needs to be when the fight starts, but I expect to make [things] as easy as can be.
      “Simply put, Terence has met his match. It’s not up to me to say things to convince anybody of that.”
      Fight odds

      Crawford to win – 1/7
      Porter win – 4/1
      Crawford by KO/TKO – 7/4
      Porter by KO/TKO – 17/2
      Crawford on points – 5/6
      Porter on points – 13/2
      Fight to go the distance – 4/7

      *All odds from Betfair and correct at time of publication. More

    • 238 Shares119 Views

      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury shares BRUTAL training clip as Eddie Hearn warns him that Dillian Whyte won’t accept ‘outrageous’ purse split

      by

      TYSON FURY is pushing himself to new levels in training despite not having a fight to prepare for.The Gypsy King, 33, has been keeping active since his victory over Deontay Wilder last month.
      John Fury pounded son Tyson in the brutal training exercise
      Fury grimaced with each shot from the medicine ball
      And he has also been busy helping brother Tommy train for his upcoming bout with Jake Paul.
      But on Friday the heavyweight champion took things up a notch.
      With Tyson laid out on the canvas, father John stood over him and began pounding his torso with a medicine ball.
      Each impact made the boxer grimace but he got through the tough workout.
      He also turned onto his side to build up strength – preparing well for any future punches he may take to the body.
      And those shots could come from Dillian Whyte, with Eddie Hearn revealing a fight between the pair could take place early next year.

      Speaking to IFL TV, he said: “The purses are almost secondary to the fight being ordered. The interim champion can receive up to 45 per cent of a purse split.
      “And I believe that the purse should be at those kinds of levels. We have seen Top Rank talking about 20 per cent to Whyte which is outrageous.
      “But I think something that should be left to the WBC, the problem is time we need to move forward but we are confident that it will be a ruling that is fair to Whyte.
      “I think it is closing in and we would like to make that fight in the early part of next year.”

      BETTING SPECIAL – GET £50 IN FREE BETS WITH WILLIAM HILL More

    • 288 Shares179 Views

      in Boxing

      Molly-Mae Hague reveals she and Tommy Fury ‘haven’t slept in the same bed for a month’ as he trains for Jake Paul fight

      by

      MOLLY-MAE HAGUE has revealed she has barely seen boyfriend Tommy Fury as he prepares for his fight with Jake Paul.Fury’s training camp is based in Morecambe – a 90 minute drive from the couple’s home in Manchester.
      Molly-Mae Hague made Tommy Fury a surprise visit as she has missed him over the last few weeks
      Tommy Fury has been in training with world champion brother TysonCredit: Instagram
      Molly-Mae posted a YouTube video on Thursday describing how much she misses her partner.
      She said she has been feeling stressed and sad without him, adding that it has been “crap” living alone.
      And due to the distance between the pair they have not slept in the same bed for a month.
      Unable to bear the discomfort of not seeing Fury, Molly-Mae took a trip up the motorway.
      She wanted to surprise him by stopping for a fly-by visit.
      And though the couple were delighted to see one another when Molly-Mae arrived, Fury revealed it was not the surprise she was aiming for.

      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)

      He said he had been expecting her visit before telling Molly-Mae that he loves her.
      The Love Island star also revealed how proud she was of her boyfriend for his hard work over the last few weeks.
      Fury has been aided in his preparation by brother Tyson, who warned Tommy that he would lose his right to the family name if he lost to Paul on December 18.
      Paul reacted to Tyson’s involvement by mocking his opponent, before revealing he would have internet star Hasbullah in his corner for the bout.
      Jake Paul has also been busy training for the December 18 bout More

    • 238 Shares159 Views

      in Boxing

      ‘That’s f***ing scary’ – Watch Eddie Hall HURT coach with explosive punches as he trains for Hafthor Bjornsson fight

      by

      EDDIE HALL has stunned fans with his explosive power after sharing footage of him training ahead of his bout against Hafthor Bjornsson.The British behemoth was set to face his former Strongman rival in September, but he suffered a detached bicep in the summer to delay the fight until 2022.
      Eddie Hall showed off his explosive power in a training clip he posted on Instagram
      British ace Hall is preparing to face former Strongman rival Hafthor Bjornsson next yearCredit: Instagram / @eddiehallwsm
      And Hall has shown he is in incredible condition following surgery as he wowed his supporters in a clip shared to his 2.9 million Instagram followers.
      In the footage, Hall can be seen throwing a barrage of combinations in a pad session which hurt his trainer.
      Towards the end of the video, the 33-year-old even apologised as his trainer held his arm in agony.
      Captioning the upload, Hall said: “Little pad work today taking a break from sparring.
      “My left arm is back to full strength and some. Nice to see all the hard work I’ve been doing on explosive power come to fruition.
      “Feeling super confident and can’t wait for a date for the fight.

      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)

      “Thor get your tattoo artist ready boy. Big love, Team Beast.”
      His fans were quick to comment, as one user quipped: “I was wondering when Bob Hoskins arms were gonna come off. Serious power there mate.”
      Another remarked: “Oh yeah, Eddie is winning this fight. Thor is way too slow and uncoordinated. Eddie’s size and speed gives him the edge.”
      A third added: “S*** that trainer must have some solid hands!”
      Meanwhile one simply stated: “That’s f***ing scary.”
      One then said: “Looking proper explosive! Scary how a guy as big as you can move that quick. Think I can safely say no one wants to receive one of those to the face.”
      Hall has declared he will inflict a broken jaw on Thor when they come to blows inside the ring.
      He insisted: “In the beginning, I think everyone had Thor as the favourite because he’s got the reach and height advantage.
      Hall was set to face Thor in September, only for him to suffer an arm injury to postpone the dust-upCredit: Instagram / @thorbjornsson

      “I’m 6ft 2.5in and he’s 6ft 9in, but I think people are now gauging how seriously I’m taking this. 
      “I’m putting my heart and soul into this fight and I don’t do anything 99 per cent. It’s 100 per cent or nothing. 
      “I think it’s safe to say the public is starting to get that feeling that I’m taking this very seriously indeed and that Thor is going to get a broken jaw.”
      Hafthor Bjornsson slams Eddie Hall as the biggest bully on internet More

    • 288 Shares179 Views

      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury died THREE times in incubator as premature baby – he’s a fighter and that’s how he got name, says wife Paris

      by

      TYSON Fury’s wife Paris has spoken about how her husband “died three times” after being born seven weeks premature.Mum-of-six Paris revealed that the boxing champ was named after Mike Tyson for his fighting spirit while in hospital as a newborn.
      Paris Fury has claimed that her husband Tyson ‘died three times’ after being born seven weeks prematureCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      The sports star was named after Mike Tyson for his fighting spirit as a newbornCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Speaking on the Parenting Hell podcast, the 31-year-old shared: “He was born seven weeks premature.
      “He was really premature. He died three times in the incubators. His mum had a real bad time when she had him.
      “They said to him… he’s a fighter. That’s how he got the name Tyson. His brothers all got old fashioned traditional names but he was named after Mike Tyson.
      “It’s an amazing story. A lot of people think that Tyson’s name isn’t his real namebut his name all his life was Tyson Luke Fury.”
      During the same podcast, Paris revealed the reason she and Tyson named all their boys Prince – and their adorable nickname for baby Tyson.
      The pair are parents to Venezuela, 12, Prince John James, nine, Prince Tyson II, four, Valencia, three, and Athena, who was born in August.

      Recalling the birth of Prince Tyson II and discussing her naming process, Paris said: “I was high on the gas and air! [I said] We’ve got to call him Prince. So we’ve got Prince, Tyson and Adonis, but they are all Prince.” 
      But, admitting that it felt “surreal” to call little Tyson by his name, Paris added: “For a long while he got [called] Tutti. Now we’ve got to stop that. Eventually he is going to turn into a big guy and Tutti isn’t right.” 
      Boxer Tyson, 33, who’s known as The Gypsy King, previously opened up about the names – but he had a much simpler reason behind them. He said: “I’m a king and they’re princes until they earn their rightful name.”
      Earlier this year, just a day after he and Paris welcomed Athena, Tyson revealed she’d been taken into intensive care.
      He wrote on Instagram: “Massive thanks for all the messages and support.
      “The baby is in a stable position and doing well – hopefully she comes out of ICU today. Please keep baby Athena in your prayers. Paris is doing great. God bless.”
      Paris later told how Athena was born with a fast heartbeat of 300 beats a minute as well as lots of other complications.
      She told OK! magazine: “They put her on tablets to slow her heart down and when they took her off the tube, they thought it was going to be normal. But I think the accumulation of sedatives, painkillers, beta blockers for her heart and everything was just too much.
      “She was in my arms and she stopped breathing and became completely unresponsive. Her heart rate was fading away – she was dying in my arms.
      “They took her off me, put her on the table and resuscitated her. Tyson came running in. It was horrific. They managed to get her heart going and everything stabilised.”
      Paris revealed the reason all her boys share the same name
      They welcomed baby Athena earlier this year
      Tyson Fury’s wife Paris reveals cute nickname for baby and reason all her boys are called PrinceWe pay for your stories!Do you have a story for The Sun Showbiz team? More

    • 213 Shares109 Views

      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury’s promoter gives Anthony Joshua ultimatum over Oleksandr Usyk and reveals Gypsy King’s next fight date

      by

      TYSON FURY wants to return as early as February and will decide his next opponent when Oleksandr Usyk’s future is determined. Fury’s promoter Bob Arum has admitted fighting Usyk for the undisputed title is their preferred option.
      Frank Warren, Tyson Fury and Bob ArumCredit: Reuters
      Anthony Joshua after defeat to Oleksandr UsykCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      But after Anthony Joshua’s defeat to the Ukrainian, the Brit chose to invoke his right to an immediate rematch.
      Arum is still hopeful AJ can be convinced to step aside and allow Fury to face Usyk, but will look Dillian Whyte’s way in the likely case that is not possible.
      The promoter told reporters in Las Vegas: ”Here’s the story, the ball now is in Joshua’s court.
      “Joshua can step aside and let Usyk fight Fury. Joshua can say no, I’ve gotta fight Usyk, and I’ve got a contract.
      “So once Joshua decides, if he decides he’s going to fight Usyk, then Fury looks around for an opponent.
      “I talked to him today, and if Whyte is reasonable, as far as his money, happy to fight him. If not, we’ll fight Joe Joyce.”

      FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS

      Joshua, 32, is expected to rematch Usyk, 34, by April with talks to officially finalise it due to begin.
      Meanwhile Fury, 33, has been linked with Whyte, also 33, who is the WBC ‘interim’ champion and in turn the mandatory challenger.
      But his existing legal case against the WBC, aimed to force his overdue title shot, actually prevented him from being ordered to challenge for the belt.
      Arum has stated that even without being mandated by the WBC, Whyte could still fight Fury, instead on a voluntary basis.
      And the legendary promoter revealed the unbeaten Gypsy King wants to return in no later than four months’ time.
      He said: “I spoke to Tyson Fury – he wants to fight again by the end of February, no later than the first week or so in March. That will happen.”
      Frank Warren talks about possible fight between Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte More

    • 250 Shares99 Views

      in Boxing

      ‘I’m trying to knock his head off’ – Terence Crawford admits Shawn Porter friendship went ‘when we signed the contract’

      by

      TERENCE CRAWFORD said his friendship with Shawn Porter went on hold the moment they signed to fight – and he’s now ‘trying to knock his head off’. The 34-year-old welterweight pair meet in Las Vegas over the weekend, with Crawford defending his WBO title and unbeaten record.
      Terence Crawford ahead of his fight with Shawn PorterCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      It is no secret the pair enjoyed mutual respect for each other and are even friends, who go back a long way.
      But that has all been put to one side, as Crawford told Sky Sports: “It was gone when we signed the contract.
      “I don’t have to disrespect him or talk bad about him. But we both know.
      “There are no friends in the ring. The guy across from you is trying to knock your head off. I’m trying to knock his head off.”
      In the build-up, former two-time champion Porter claimed previous chances to make the fight had been rebuffed.
      But Crawford responded: “No, that’s not true. The truth of the matter is that when they asked me for the fight it was just talk, there was no offer.
      TOTALLY EPICWELCOME to the downtime goldmine

      We’ve got a free to enter competition with Pokerstars Casino that will see one lucky Sun reader win a cool £5,000.
      It’s time to win while you wait. Are you in?
      Click HERE to enter. Epic.
      T&Cs apply. 18+ Play responsibly. BeGambleAware.org

      “Then when Top Rank offered them the fight, they turned it down because they wanted more money.
      “Then me and Shawn talked on the phone and he asked me what I thought about a potential fight with him.
      “I told him that if I couldn’t get the Manny Pacquiao fight then we would revisit it. I didn’t get the Pacquiao fight – we’re here.”
      Crawford, who has won titles in three divisions, has beaten the likes of Amir Khan, 34, and Kell Brook, 35, in recent years.
      But he admitted only time will tell if Porter, who has never been stopped with only three career defeats, will be his fiercest rival.
      Crawford said: “We’ll have to see if this is the toughest fight of my career.
      There are no friends in the ring. The guy across from you is trying to knock your head off. I’m trying to knock his head off.Terence Crawford on Shawn Porter
      “I’ve been faced with a lot of people who thought the past couple of fights would be the toughest. But we don’t know until we step in the ring.
      “I don’t tend to listen but I do take heed because it means I won’t overlook anything.
      “I believe, deep down in my heart, that there are a lot of things I haven’t shown yet because I didn’t have to show it at that point.
      “There are skills I haven’t had to display. Maybe Porter can bring those out. There is more to come. I am getting better.
      “I expect Shawn to be Shawn – I can’t stress enough how talented he is. He likes to box, he likes to bang, he likes to brawl.
      “We will be ready for everything.”
      EA Sports Fight Night Champion trailer More